Foster Parents Honored at 7th Annnual Outback Luncheon

About 40 foster parents were celebrated and honored at the Outback
Steakhouse, located at 10060 Lee Highway in Fairfax, Virginia, on
May 5, 2012. Nine families were recognized for their special
efforts as foster parents. They were recognized for having good
working relationships with birth family and relatives, good
communication with the Department of Family Services, assisting
with transportation, addressing the specific needs of the child in
their home, etc. A very special part of this recognition was
hearing from the social workers who nominated each of these parents
for recognition. We are so blessed here in Fairfax County with so
many foster parents and social workers who go to such extraordinary
lengths to give these children what they need during this difficult
time in their lives. Hearing their stories and celebrating with
these parents is truly an honor. We also received praise and
encouragement from Stephanie Pegues, Keith Wong, Foster Care and
Adoption Program Manager, and Deb Forkas, Children, Youth &
Families Division Director. Then, to top it off; foster parents and
social workers alike, were inspired and challenged by our speaker,
Ms Ivy Marie Ellis; a former foster parent with Fairfax County, who
along with her husband, fostered 25 children. We were also blessed
to hear from her adult son and the first child that was placed in
Ms Ellis's home over 22 years ago. She is now a FCPS teacher,
working on her master's degree, and although she was returned home
to her biological family, she still maintains a close relationship
with Ms Ellis, as do many of her former foster children. Ms. Ellis
spoke of providing love and respect to the children and their
families and she challenged us to never give up on the children in
your home, especially teens. Ms Ellis has written a book about her
experiences titled, A Temporary Home. If you would like to
gain more insight from her experiences, her book is available from
bookstores or on-line.

The Department of Family Services wishes to extend a special thank
you on behalf of the foster parents of Fairfax County to Mr. Tim
Burrows and his staff. Tim is the Manager of the Outback Steakhouse
on Lee Highway. For the past 7 years, he has graciously opened the
restaurant to host this private event. Tim actually cooked the food
and his staff volunteered their time to serve lunch to foster
parents and their guests. Of course, no luncheon would be complete
without a delicious piece of chocolate cake, a lot of photographs,
and door prizes. Many thanks also go to Emma Marshall and Rosa Suau
for their efforts within our community to raise awareness and to
all "their" local merchants who provided such wonderful
door prizes. If you missed this year's foster parent appreciation
luncheon, perhaps you can join us for the Foster Family Fun Fair on
Saturday August 11, 2012, at Occoquan Regional Park in Lorton,
Virginia.